Capital Bid launch invite

Deborah Bestwick MBE, Director Dr Richard Golding and the Ovalhouse Development Board invites

to

‘This Is My Place’ Launching our move - Ovalhouse to Brixton 2017 Tuesday 27 January 2015 Drinks, canapés and celebrations 7.00pm - 9.30pm

Flat 1220, The Whitehouse Apartments 9 Belvedere Road London SE1 8YW

RSVP by 12 January 2015: Katie Milton Development Director – Capital Campaign katie.milton@ovalhouse.com 020 7820 7273 Ovalhouse, 52-54 Kennington Oval, London SE11 5SW

pursued arantee I wouldn't have gu I e us ho al Ov ed er ov “ If I hadn't disc acting as a profession.”

Storme’s Story

“This is my place: I first started working at Ovalhouse aged 13 where I attended youth drama classes for a few months.

I was then asked to participate in a Work Experience placement which involved putting on a modern adaptation of Othello and touring local secondary schools. I fell in love with the acting bug and as a result did two more promenade productions as part of their Summer School where I met some of my best friends to this day.

Through my teenage years I'd always felt different and struggled with my self confidence particularly through secondary school. Ovalhouse helped me overcome so much of that by showing me that I wasn't the only one - all the young people I'd met were outsiders in some way. It felt like a safe environment and I don't remember feeling any different to anyone else, I could just have fun and enjoy making amazing theatre.

I learned to love characters, working with scripts, the whole process of making theatre seemed like such an exciting way to spend summer as a 16 year old. I now do not want it to end and couldn't be prouder of where I started.”

Storme now has a successful acting career, starring in The Inbetweeners Movie and recently landing a main cast part in the BBC series New Tricks, playing Nicholas Lyndhurst's daughter Holly Griffin.

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Shavani’s Story

“This is my place: my Ovalhouse experience started in 2006 in youth arts drama class. I then represented Ovalhouse and the UK in Zambia on an Identity and Diversity project with over 200 young people from different countries. In 2008 I was part of the youth led production The Unfortunate Love Of The British Empire, which went to Cape Town South Africa as part of an Africa Economic Conference – Creative Arts Forum, and successfully completed a Gold Arts Award in 2009 – a youth leadership and personal development project whereby I produced my own piece, Grandma’s Legacy, and led young people to take part in it. The play showcased at The Shoreditch festival.

Through the support and opportunities at Ovalhouse, I have grown in confidence and as a person.”

Shavani is currently appearing in the Channel 4 series Homeland.

From the Director...

It is my great pleasure, along with the Development Board and our generous host, Dr Richard Golding, to invite you and your guest to our celebration of the launch of Ovalhouse’s Capital Campaign.

It has been a long held ambition to redevelop in the centre of Brixton and we now have the opportunity to build a new theatre, with the London Borough of Lambeth as our partners. In 2017 we will move to a new, fully accessible, fit for purpose modern theatre. This will place us at the heart of a rich and diverse community, closer to the communities we seek to reach and providing the facilities talented new theatre companies need.

The new building will provide additional capacity for Ovalhouse to develop its existing activities including social inclusion and participation, maintaining an unchallenged reputation as a hotbed for developing emerging artists and encouraging those young people who have never had the chance to develop confidence and skills through drama. Increased space will give us the potential for earned income that will provide sustainability for years to come.

You will hear from some young people who share our vision of a new building and are proud to say: “This is my place”.

Pierce Brosnan was once such a young person who began his career at Ovalhouse: “I went down to Oval House Theatre club every night after work... When I found acting , or when acting found me, it was a liberation. It was a stepping stone into another life.”

My very grateful thanks go to Richard for his hospitality and generosity this evening and to our new Development Board, lead by Robin Priest, Chair. I hope you enjoy learning about Ovalhouse and if you can, join us on our journey. Feel free to talk to me and my colleagues about how you can become involved. It has been a dream for over 15 years and with your help, we can realistically reach our goal.

With best wishes,

Deborah Bestwick, MBE Director, Ovalhouse

SUPPORT US I/We can/cannot attend ‘This Is My Place’ but please accept a donation of £ ......................................... to start the move to Brixton Name .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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By BACS: Barclays Sort Code 20 80 57 Account 80371793 Or you may like to: Become an Ovalhouse Friend and give regularly Regular giving really helps us to plan our sustainable future to build and beyond Please pick up a leaflet or for more details please contact Katie Milton, Development Director – Capital Campaign on 020 7820 7273 katie.milton@ovalhouse.com All our supporters will be credited on our Pillar of Support in the existing and new Theatre Foyer Please tick this box if you would be happy to hear from us on our progress

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